Vehicle-wheel.



H. I. STEIGEHWALB. VEHICIE WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED FEB.

28, ISIS.

Www mm v HENRY J'. STEGERV/"ALD, 0F AUBUBNyNEW YORK.

VEHICLE-wanna.

maas-ic.

To all whom t may concern: A

Be it known that l, HENRY J. SramanwALD, a citizen of the United Statesof America, and resident of Auburn, in the -county of Cayuga, -in theState of New York, have invented new and useful lmprovements inVehicle-heels, of which the Vfollowing, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description. Thisinvention relates to certain improvements in vehicle wheels, and refersmore particularly to the tire and means for attaching the same to therim',

The main object is to provider a simple, i yetl strong, durable andefficient substitute ,for the usual pneumatic tire and to thereby avoidthe punctnres, blowonts 'and other more or less dangerous factorsincidental to the use of such pneumatic tire. In other words, l havesought to provide a commercially practicable tire having all of theresilient qualities of an ordinary pneumatic tire .Without the use ofpneumatica as an iniating medium.

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the device will bebrought out in the following description.

ln the drawings-Figure is a side elevation of a wheelA embodying thefeatures of my invention, the dotted concentric lines irrounding thetire indicating the position which the circnini'erentially extendingcoil spring assumes when released from interlocking engagementwith therim. Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional View taken on line 2 2,Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a side view of a portion of the coil spring forniingthe main body of the tire. Fig. l is `a view oi one coil of the spring,in which the tread portion is duted or corrugated.

As illustrated, this wheel comprises a hub -1- and spokes --2-'-connecting the hub with a suitable folly -3-. Surrounding the peripheryof the iellj,7 is a metal rim composed of circular motions --4- having"laterally projecting flanges -5 resting upon the periphery of saidfelly, and also provided with radially projecting annular flanges -6-engagin the sides of the folly and secured thereto y boltsl -7-. Theouter edges of the rim sections Jlare spaced apart transversely andprovided with inturnedannular flanges -8- for receiving and retaining atire, as '-9-. This tire comprises a spring wire coil -Iln Speccaticn ofLetters atent. Patented Sept, 26, 1915. Application led February 28,1916. Serie-hm 0,913.

extending circumferentially around the 'rim or felly and preferably'l"shape 'in cross section so that the base of the coil is provided withlaterally projecting branches ll riding between the sections 4.- of

the rim and normally engaging the inner faces of the annular flanges -S-under' the tension of the spring coil.- y

transversely to greater width than its base to form lateral projections-l2 overhanging the rim flanges 8mvv and normally spaced some distancetherefromto allow a limited inner radial movement ofall portions o thecoil under load against the normal tension of the coil tending to expandthe same. f

The spring coil is preferably continuousthat is it' ismade of a sinolepiece of wirev bent in the forno shown and`I having its ends securedtogetherby brazing or other fastening means and when free fromengagement with the rim langes -8- tends to expand to a considerablygreater diameter than the extreme diameter of the 'wheel when in lactualuse, as shown by the dotted lines *aand -o-, which indicateithe outerand inner faces of thecoil when" thus eX- panded. j

ln assembling the coil'upon the-rim one of4 the rim sections 1iisremoved and the spring is then compressed by 'moving its convolutionscloser together and inter-- locking one of the lateral projections,-llat the base with theadjacent rim flange .-8,v whereupon theother .rim section' -Llis placed in operative position in interlockingengagement with the other lateral projection l1-4- and clamped in placebythe bolts -7- passing through the i'elly thus .holding the coilwardly, and at the same time permittin inward radial movement of allportions o? the coil byfl reason of the intervening space between thebase of the coil and flanges -5-.

The -tread portion of the coil is enlarged `against its natural tendencyto spring culi* iop The portions l- V of' the coil between l the innerlateral projections ll-fand outer' lateral projections l2-ly arepreferably parallel and are spaced aparta distance less than thetransverse width of the base so that their outer edges lie in closeproximity and rif'feagainstthe inner edge of the lange's --"las the tiremoves radially under load. These intermediate portions which may betei-lined theweb o the tirecope'rate with vthe same circumstances.

In some instances, particularly in the heavier machines, such as trucks,the space within the coil and between the convolutions may be filled by'a filling -15- of soft rubber or other suitable resilient materialywhich, in addition to stiffening the coil as a Whole, also serves tohold the con volutions in nearly uniform spaced relation and tends todeaden independentvibration of said convolutions, thereby reducing thepossibility of noise from rattle to a minimum. Y

The opposite circular side pieces -4 form an annular channel in the rimin which the tire -9- is guided in its radial movement, and while insome instances the Wire coil in itself may perform all the functions ofa tire, yet the resilient filler H151- extending, as it does between theconvolutions of the coil, produces additional resistance to furthercompression of such coil under load, thus increasing the resistance toinward or radial depression at all points,

but still maintaining a sullicient degree oi' resiliency to preventtransmission of the vibrations of the tire to the running gear or bodyof the vehicle in passing over obstructions nd uneven road surfaces.

In Fig. 4, the wire of the tread is pro-- vided with a series of bendsforming corruq gations 16% adapted to increasethe nonskid properties ofthe tire.

The tire here disclosed is adapted for use with any suitable form of rimor wheel, and I do not desire to limit myself to its use in the specificcombination shown, as many changes, variations and modifications may bemade, so long as the essential annular channel in which the tire movesis retained,

without departing from the spirit of this invention as set forth in theappended claims.

What I claim is 1. In a vehicle wheel of the character described, thecombination of arim having an annular channel, a tire comprising a coilspring extending circumferentially around the rim and T-shape in crosssection and having a portion radially movable in said annular channel,said rim having inturned flanges engaging with the base ofthe coil.

2. `In a vehicle wheel, the combination of a rim having an annularchannel with a tire comprising a coil spring extending circumferentiallyaround the rim, each coil unit formed with substantially parallel sideportions and enlarged base andv 'tread por tions, said base positionedin a'nd Vof less radial depth than the channel in the rim and slidableradially in said channel to allow the tire to yield inwardly at allpoints. y

3. In a vehicle wheel, the combination with a rim having an annularchannel formed with inw'ardlyiprojecting annular flanges of a tirecomprising a coil spring extending circumferentially around the rim,each coil of said spring being substantially T-shaped in cross sectionand having its lateral base projections positioned `in and ofconsiderably less radial depth than the rim channel and confined beneathsaid rim flanges, the opposite sides of each coil being substantiallyparallel and spaced apart a sufficient distance to slidably contact withthe rim flanges while permitting the tire to yield radially and inwardlyat all points.

4. In a vehicle wheel of the character described, the combination of arim having an annular channel and opposite inturned an# nular flangesand a tire comprising, coil spring extending circumferentially aroundthe rim and between said flan es andra- 't ially movable in 'saidannular c annel, said lcoil havlng a base wider than the opening betweensaid flanges, and a resilient ller" within the coil spring.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 21st day ofFebruary,l 1916.'

HENRY J. STEIGERWALD.' Witnesses:

E. A. THOMPSON, VIOLA HOWLAND.

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